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Minnesota winter events: What’s on, and what’s not
Due to above-average temperatures throughout most of winter so far, several annual events have been canceled this year throughout Minnesota. FOX 9’s Rob Olson has the latest tally of what's been canceled, and what's still happening.
ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - At the Minnesota State Fairgrounds, teams of snow sculptors got underway on Friday making the best of a bad situation – 40 degrees is not ideal for one of the centerpiece events of the St. Paul Winter Carnival.
"It’s like mashed potatoes," said Kelly Thune, as she pushed shovels full of man-made snow. "I would say it’s easier to carve, but since this is heart attack snow you have to make sure to pace yourself and make sure that you don’t overdo it."
Her two teammates, chopping away as they began carving a sea monster, were both sleeveless in boots, overalls and bare arms.
"I am sweating," said Niki McKenzie, originally from New Zealand. "I would be more naked if we could, but it’s a family friendly event."
Last week, they competed in Stillwater. Temperatures hovered around zero.
Those sculptures lasted a few days once the weather began drastically warming on Monday. These will disappear even faster.
"Maybe a day or two," said Thune. "If you want to see them you better come quick."
In this winter that barely was, events like the Winter Carnival do their best to salvage what they can.
Last weekend, the US Pond Hockey Championship opened with perfect ice conditions on Lake Nokomis, just weeks after the lake was open water, thanks to a polar vortex.
But then, just as fast as it cooled down, came the warm up. The second weekend was canceled because the ice was simply not safe to skate on.
On Lake Harriet, organizers were forging ahead with the weekend’s planned Art Shanty and Kite Festival.
The ice remained thick enough, for now, but very sloppy and slippery and people are being warned to tread carefully.
The Ice Castle in Maple Grove, which finally managed to open just days ago, remains open for now. But for how long remains to be seen.
The Ice Palace in Delano, meantime, will close after this weekend. It had only opened for the season last weekend.
In many cities, outdoor skating rinks are shut down, also having only been open for about a week. They are unlikely to reopen.
Organizers of next weekend’s City of Lakes Loppet still plan to hold the annual cross-country ski event at Wirth Park in Minneapolis. But with each day, it is a constant reassessment.
As for the snow sculptors at the Winter Carnival, who say it used to be that their creations would last a few weeks, their two days of hard work will be gone quickly.
"My teammates and I can count our hours of sleep on one hand," said McKenzie. "And to kind of pour all that into something that lasts an hour or two is a little bit heartbreaking,"